Barca’s Alba plays down treble pressure

Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba has moved to ease the pressure on his team by claiming it will not be “a failure” if the Catalan giants do not clinch the treble this season.

Luis Enrique’s men have already won the Primera Division and are favourites heading into tomorrow’s Copa del Rey showdown with Athletic Bilbao and next weekend’s Champions League final against Juventus in Berlin.

“We are having a very good season and it would not be a failure,” Alba said to the Spanish press. “We are two games away from the treble, but I insist it would not be a failure.

“Of course, it would hurt to have reached these two finals and not to win them.” Barca are the only Spanish club to have won a Primera Division, Champions League and Copa del Rey treble, having done so under Pep Guardiola in the 2008-09 campaign.

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Alba believe playing tomorrow’s final at the Nou Camp will prove a big advantage for his team, who will be seeking a 27th domestic cup crown.

“We are playing at home and it’s much better to play in our own ground,” the 26-year-old said. “It will be a very difficult game but we will go out to win. I don’t think it’s a double-edged sword as we don’t have to travel and we know the pitch well.”

Alba insists Barca’s full focus in on Saturday’s final and not on next week’s clash with Juve. “We are concentrating on Saturday’s game,” Alba said. “And only after that game will be think about the Champions League final.

“We are really looking forward to winning a treble and it would be sad to be distracted heading into Saturday’s match. This team takes it one match at a time and no-one thinks that Saturday’s match will be easy.”

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